How to Build a Non-Toxic Cleaning Routine (Products We Actually Use)
If you've ever stood in the cleaning aisle trying to decode ingredient labels while a toddler hangs off your cart, this post is for you.
Switching to a non-toxic cleaning routine was one of the first low-tox changes I made — and honestly one of the most impactful. It made sense to me that if I was trying to reduce toxins in our food, our cookware, and our personal care products, the products I was spraying on every surface in our home deserved the same attention. Especially the surfaces my kids eat off, crawl on, and touch approximately one thousand times a day.
The good news is that a non-toxic cleaning routine doesn't require making everything from scratch or spending a fortune. It just requires knowing which products actually meet a clean standard — and which ones are just marketing. I've done years of research and testing across three kids and this is what we've landed on. Simple, effective, and genuinely safe.
If you're just starting your low-tox journey, my easy low-tox swaps post covers the broader picture of where to start. But if you're ready to tackle your cleaning products specifically — read on.
Why Your Cleaning Products Matter More Than You Think
Most of us were raised on the idea that a strong chemical smell means something is getting clean. That sting in your nostrils? Just proof it's working. But that smell is actually volatile organic compounds — VOCs — releasing into your indoor air every time you clean.
Conventional cleaning products are among the biggest sources of indoor air pollution in most homes. They contain ingredients like synthetic fragrance, chlorine bleach, ammonia, phthalates, and surfactants that linger on surfaces long after the cleaning is done. For families with young kids who spend a lot of time on floors and touching surfaces, that daily exposure adds up.
The term "non-toxic" is unfortunately not regulated — which means any brand can slap it on a label regardless of what's actually inside. The standard I use is EWG Verified — products that have been reviewed by the Environmental Working Group and confirmed to meet strict standards for ingredient transparency and human health safety. That's the shortcut that saves you from having to decode every label yourself.
The Products We Use Room by Room
Kitchen
The kitchen is where I started and where I'd tell anyone to start. It's the highest-traffic surface area in your home and the one where food contact matters most.
All-purpose cleaner — Branch Basics
Branch Basics is our most-used product in the kitchen. It's a concentrated formula you dilute yourself into different strengths depending on the job — an everyday spray for counters, a stronger solution for tough grease, and an even more diluted version safe enough for produce. One bottle of concentrate lasts a very long time which makes it genuinely cost-effective despite the upfront price. The ingredient list is short, fully disclosed, and meets the standard I look for. We keep a labeled spray bottle of the all-purpose dilution on the counter at all times.
Dish soap — Branch Basics or Attitude
For hand washing dishes we rotate between Branch Basics dish soap and Attitude dish soap— both are EWG verified and both actually cut grease without leaving a residue. The Attitude option is easier to find and slightly more affordable if you're just getting started.
Dishwasher detergent
Already linked in my kitchen low-tox swaps post — this EWG-certified dishwasher detergent does the job without chlorine bleach or synthetic fragrance. This one was an easy swap with zero adjustment period.
Baking soda — the unsung hero
I use baking soda constantly in the kitchen and it costs almost nothing. Sprinkled in the sink with a little Branch Basics it scrubs without scratching. Poured down a slow drain with hot water it clears buildup. Mixed into a paste with water it tackles stubborn stovetop residue that no spray can touch. If you're not already keeping a box of baking soda under your kitchen sink, start today. It's genuinely one of the most effective and safest cleaning tools available.
Bathroom
The bathroom is the room most people find hardest to clean without conventional products — specifically because of soap scum and mildew which feel like they require harsh chemicals. They don't.
Toilet and tile cleaner — Branch Basics
The Branch Basics bathroom dilution handles toilets, tile, and sinks effectively. For anything with more buildup — grout, tile edges, the base of the toilet — I make a paste with baking soda and Branch Basics and let it sit for a few minutes before scrubbing. It works better than most conventional bathroom cleaners I've used and without the fumes that make you want to open every window in the house.
Glass and mirror cleaner — AspenClean
AspenClean makes my favorite glass cleaner — streak-free, EWG Verified, and genuinely effective on mirrors and chrome fixtures. We keep this in the bathroom specifically. It smells clean without being synthetic which sounds like a small thing until you've cleaned your bathroom with something that gives you a headache.
Scrubbing — baking soda again
Baking soda on a damp cloth handles bathtub rings and sink buildup better than any conventional scrub I've used. Combine with a few drops of Branch Basics for extra cleaning power and it tackles almost anything without scratching surfaces.
Floors
All floors — Attitude All Purpose Cleaner
For mopping we use a diluted solution of Attitude All Purpose Cleaner in warm water. Attitude is EWG Verified, plant-based, and fragrance-free — which matters on floors where kids and pets are in constant contact. It leaves floors clean without a residue or a chemical smell lingering in the house.
For quick spot cleaning between mops — which in a house with three kids happens constantly — Branch Basics in a spray bottle and a microfiber cloth does the job in under a minute.
Microfiber cloths
Worth mentioning here because they genuinely change how you clean. A good microfiber cloth picks up bacteria and debris with just water — no product needed for light cleaning. We keep a stack of them in every room. They reduce how much product you use overall and they're washable so there's no waste. This pack of microfiber cloths is what we use throughout the house.
Laundry
Laundry detergent — Attitude Fragrance Free
Already covered in my low-tox swaps post but worth repeating here because it's the product I recommend most. Attitude fragrance-free laundry detergent is EWG Verified and actually cleans. We switched our whole family over — not just the kids' clothes — and the difference for anyone with sensitive skin is noticeable within a week.
Dryer — wool dryer balls
No dryer sheets. Ever. Wool dryer balls reduce static, soften clothes, and cut drying time without any chemical transfer. Add a drop or two of essential oil if you want a light scent. I linked our favorites in the low-tox swaps post.
Tough stains — baking soda
A paste of baking soda and water applied directly to a stain before washing lifts most things — grass, food, mystery kid stains — without needing a conventional stain spray loaded with synthetic fragrance and solvents. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes then wash as normal. It works.
The Products I'd Avoid
A quick note on greenwashing because it's genuinely rampant in the cleaning aisle. These are popular brands that market themselves as natural or green but whose ingredient lists don't hold up to scrutiny:
Mrs. Meyer's — contains synthetic fragrance and other problematic ingredients despite the charming branding.
Seventh Generation — better than conventional but still contains ingredients including synthetic fragrance in some products that don't meet the standard I look for.
Method — similar story. Pleasant aesthetic, ingredient list doesn't hold up.
The rule I use: if a brand won't fully disclose every ingredient or doesn't carry a third-party certification like EWG Verified, I move on. Transparency should be the baseline, not a premium feature.
A Simple Weekly Cleaning Routine
The products are only half of it. Here's the actual routine I follow that keeps our house consistently clean without it taking over my life. Total active time: about 30 minutes spread across the week.
Daily — 5 minutes:
Wipe kitchen counters with Branch Basics spray and microfiber cloth
Quick bathroom sink wipe-down
Spot clean floors as needed
Monday — Kitchen deep clean — 10 minutes:
Clean stovetop with baking soda paste
Wipe down appliance surfaces
Clean sink with baking soda and Branch Basics
Wednesday — Bathrooms — 10 minutes:
Toilet, sink, mirror, tile with Branch Basics bathroom dilution and AspenClean glass cleaner
Baking soda scrub on tub as needed
Friday — Floors — 10 minutes:
Mop all hard floors with Attitude dilution
Quick vacuum soft surfaces
As needed:
Laundry with Attitude detergent and wool dryer balls
Spot treatments with baking soda paste
Complete Non-Toxic Cleaning Shopping List
Kitchen
Branch Basics Concentrate → link
Attitude Dish Soap → link
EWG-Certified Dishwasher Detergent → link
Baking soda → find at any grocery store
Bathroom
Floors
Laundry
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my links I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only ever recommend products I genuinely use and love.
